I Could Pee on This

i could pee on thisI have a dilemma. I think cats are adorable, but I’m allergic, so I can never own one. I get my cat fix by visiting my friends who own cats, where I’m forced to admire them from afar and not get too close. Let me tell you something that I’ve noticed: cats are WEIRD. Don’t get me wrong, I admit cats are significantly smarter than my dogs, but I can never be 100% sure what exactly is going on in any cat’s head.

Enter in I Could Pee on This: And Other Poems by Cats. This book has become my go-to manual for figuring out what that tabby cat is thinking as it stares me down from the corner of the room. Ever wondered how they feel about catnip, laser pointers, traveling, or even that new fuzzy kitten you brought home? Let the cats tell you all about it. The next time you decide to try to sleep in, are wondering what happened to your curtains or couch, or are even curious about why your cat seems to change his mind so quickly, turn to this book to gain a humorous understanding of why cats behave the way they do(and then maybe swing by the pet store on your way home and pick up some catnip and a brand new toy – they’re not opposed to bribery).

Parenting: Illustrated with Crappy Pictures

Parenting: Illustrated with Crappy Pictures is a book put together by Amber Dusick. The idea for this book came about when she was looking for a way to vent about her frustrations and joys of being a parent. As a result, her blog, Illustrated with Crappy Pictures, was born and morphed to include anything and everything that she needed to vent about in her life, not just parenting. It became so popular that she decided to turn her blog posts into a book. She just came out with one about marriage as well. Go Amber!

Dusick describes her family throughout her book as Crappy Baby, Crappy Boy, and Crappy Husband, though she stresses multiple times that none of them are in fact crappy, JUST her drawings! Since she wanted to tell people about the things that happened in her day-to-day life, she figured drawing crappy pictures, the only kind that she can draw, to go along with her stories would help illustrate her frustration.

Parenting: Illustrated with Crappy Pictures is broken up into ten different chapters, each detailing one major part of parenting that Dusick and other parents can completely relate to, from the difference in your life before and after kids, how to deal with sickness in your house, remembering the good stuff about being a parent, and also what she calls the “50 Crappy Laws of Parenting”.

Follow Dusick as she regales you with stories about how you just can’t get your kids to BE QUIET while on a road trip especially on a plane, how family dinner time is never actually family dinner since that would require everyone to sit at the table at the same time, and just how much you should treasure sleep because babies, for some reason, do not sleep at all!

The Bro Code

bro codeAre you a fan of the hit CBS show, How I Met Your Mother, which ended last March? If so, you might be familiar with The Bro Code that Barney Stinson lives by. The Bro Code has a deep and righteous place of holiness within Barney’s life. Some people live by a code of morals, some by a guardian angel, some by religion or the Constitution, but Barney instead runs his life by a code of awesome.

Lucky for fans of the show, Barney Stinson and Matt Kuhn came out with a book version of The Bro Code. Barney is very clear, both on the television show and in the introduction to this book, that these are “rules for social decorum” that determine how bros should live their lives. For those confused about the show, who Barney is, and what exactly is a bro, Barney has you covered. He breaks down all the necessary details in the introduction, the origin story of the bro code, his section on just what is “the bro” and the subsequent glossary in the back of the book. The articles of the bro code range from the simple (Article 1: Bros before hos) to the complex (how to pick a good wingman and how to maneuver the Hot/Crazy scale).

People looking for a good laugh and fans of the show will enjoy this book.

A Bollywood Affair

a bollywood affairLet me tell you about one of my favorite places in the library: the new shelves. The new shelves are the first place I look whenever I go into any library. They let me see what reading mood I am in before I decide to trek through the whole library, since I can never come into a library and leave in less than an hour… When I’m pressed for time, I wander the new shelves because I’m bound to find something, usually more than one something, that I want to read.

My latest new shelf discovery was A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev. In this fiction romance, Dev has woven a classic story of love, loyalty, and confusion. Mili Rathod was promised and married to her husband when she was 4 years old and hasn’t seen him since. For years, she waited for her husband to come back and rescue her. When he never shows up, Mili takes it upon herself to go to America to get an education, so she can become a more perfect modern bride. Enter in Samir Rathod, a famous Bollywood director, who just happens to be Mili’s brother-in-law. After an accident has injured his brother, Samir is sent to Michigan to convince Mili to sign the divorce papers. This should be easy, right? WRONG. Enter in last-name confusion, accidents, Samir’s writer’s block, and Mili’s crazy roommate’s love story, and readers are guaranteed to be hooked into this story and rooting for Mili to finally get her happily ever after.

NBA 2K12

nba 2k12March Madness has descended upon us. For those of you not familiar with this, March Madness refers to the NCAA college men’s basketball tournament or the NCAA college women’s basketball tournament that both happen every spring. If your house is anything like mine, basketball has now taken over every television and computer screen. Videogame basketball is even happening!

One of the favorites to be played in my house is NBA 2K12. The NBA 2K series lets you utilize real player rankings and press conferences to talk up the rankings of your player(ie. get more endorsements, money, and a better draft spot), learn who the famous players were that year and in previous years, and even learn more about how basketball statistics work. The 2K12 version of this game allows you to pick from the greatest NBA teams of all time and even lets you see the rosters, which show the players who were actually playing during that time. If you’re more interested in the current players, the previous years’ rosters have all been included as well.

Don’t have a Wii and are looking for this game in a different platform? Or maybe you’re looking for a more up-to-date version of this game with more current players? If yes, then head to the library catalog and search “nba 2k*” and that will pull up results for the other versions of this game, (for example: NBA 2K13, NBA 2K14, and NBA 2K15), as well as different platforms: Wii, Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and Playstation 4. Any questions? Visit or call the library and our reference librarians call help you.

Looking to Watch Something New? DPL Staff Reviews Last Year’s New Hit TV Shows.

agents of shield

Are you interested in starting a new TV show but are having trouble deciding what to watch? I don’t blame you! Picking a new show to watch takes time and consideration, and no one wants to have their heart broken when they find out their favorite new show has been cancelled after one season. Personally, only two new shows made my DVR cut last year. I thought I could broaden my radar on new shows by asking members of the DPL staff to share what new shows they have tried out. The following is a list of recommended new TV shows that include a review by a DPL staff member. First seasons of all shows are owned by DPL.

Agents of Shield – Action – Currently in season 2 – This series is in limbo! It has not been renewed for a third season, but it also has not been cancelled.

If you’re a fan of Marvel movies—specifically Iron Man and Iron Man 2, Thor, and The Avengers—then you’re familiar with Agent Phillip J. Coulson (Clark Gregg) of the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division, a covert government agency that stamps its logo on everything without fear because it’s just that good.

Anyone who has watched The Avengers, knows that Agent Coulson died at the hands (and spear) of Loki, an outrage to superheroes and audiences alike.  We don’t know how—he doesn’t know how—but he’s back and leading a new team on an enormous plane called “The Bus” to investigate the increasingly weird stuff that has been happening since the Battle of New York.  There’s abandoned Chitauri technology to collect, ancient alien artifacts to break, mad scientists to stop, random Asgardians to ferret out, several evil organizations with cool acronyms to thwart, and one resurrection of our favorite secret agent to explain.

Running simultaneously with the movies, Coulson’s team wins some, loses some, fights to a draw a couple times, bonds, and faces a personal betrayal as devastating as the reveal of HYDRA.

And then things get weird . . . and totally Marvelous.

Reviewed by Sarah  – Special Collections Librarian 

 

Brooklyn Nine-Nine – Comedy – Currently in season 2 – Renewed for season 3

I was initially very wary of Fox’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine. I am a devoted fan of Andre Braugher*, from back when he brilliantly played the very intense Detective Frank Pembleton on Homicide:  Life on the Street. And now he’s in a Fox comedy? With Andy Samberg? There were so many ways it could go terribly, painfully wrong. To be honest, I really didn’t want to like it. And yet, I do!

Set in Brooklyn’s 99th precinct, the half-hour comedy follows the precinct’s detectives, led by Braugher’s Captain Ray Holt through their personal and professional exploits. Samberg’s Det. Jake Peralta is the goofball comedic lead, ably hitting the sweet spot between silliness and seriousness without  spilling over into incompetence. The cast, bolstered by veteran comedians Terry Crews, Chelsea Peretti and Joe Lo Truglio, plus Melissa Fumero and Stephanie Beatriz form a great ensemble of jarringly different personalities that mesh into a believably relatable police  precinct and a very entertaining show.

*Read a great profile of Braugher in the New York Times Magazine here.

Reviewed by Allison – Reference Librarian

 

The Originals – Drama – Currently in season 2 – Renewed for season 3

Vampires, witches, and werewolves oh my! This show is about the ever famous New Orleans Quarter and the supernatural creatures that fight for control of it. Aptly named The Originals, the story line revolves around a family of vampires that are literally the first vampires on the planet. They have been around for about 1000 years. Lead character Klaus Mikaelson, played by Joseph Morgan, is a fantastic villain because he pretty much can’t die due to his witch/werewolf/vampire bloodlines. I believe everyone on  the show has  tried at some point and they always come up short.  Klaus Mikaelson is definitely the bad guy, but you keep rooting for him because every once in awhile you see the hero he could be.

The Originals is actually a spin-off show of The Vampire Diaries ,which is currently in its sixth season. Klaus was the 1000 year old, all powerful vampire villain that reeked havoc on the vampires of Mystic Falls (the good kind of vampires) for several seasons. Many of Klaus’ family members were also introduced on The Vampire Diaries. They were pretty much all evil and up to no good. However the characters became so important to the ever weaving story lines that they were given their own show. Since VD is so popular, an audience for this show was already in place. This is how I started watching the show.

While the WB network occasionally overlaps story lines and characters between these two shows, you don’t have to watch the first five seasons of Vampire Diaries to understand what is going on in The Originals. If you are interested in this show, I recommended watching the first two seasons of The Originals. If you love it, then go back and get in on the Vampire Diaries.

Reviewed by Bianca – Reference Librarian

 

Reign Drama – Currently in season 2 – Renewed for season 3

I loved watching The Tudors on Showtime.  I watched England’s King Henry VIII divorce two wives, behead two other wives, and lose one wife in childbirth.  His relationship with his daughters Mary and Elizabeth was never stable, and at the end of the show we know that Elizabeth will someday take the throne and rule England for 44 years.

I was excited when I heard about Reign.  The show’s central character is Mary, Queen of Scots, the rival of Queen Elizabeth of England.  We learn that Mary became Queen of Scotland when she was only six days old.  The show starts off with Mary living in a convent in France.  After an attempt on her life, Mary goes to the French palace to be reunited with her betrothed, Francis, the Dauphin of France.  Mary’s ladies in waiting from Scotland join her at the French court.

If you are looking for a realistic retelling of the life of Mary, Queen of Scots, then you do not want to watch this show.  Reign is nothing like The Tudors.  Reign takes a lot of liberties with the story of Mary, Queen of Scots and King Francis II of France.  While Reign may not be historically accurate, it is fun to watch this young couple try to learn how to be married and learn how to govern two countries.  In every episode, one of them has a crisis that must be resolved.  If you are looking for a fun show with a strong female lead character, then you would enjoy Reign.

Reviewed by Rachel – Reference Librarian

 

Resurrection – Science Fiction – Currently in season 2 – In limbo

ABC’s Resurrection started as an accidental viewing for me. It was right after Once Upon A Time (sooooooo good!), so I recorded it on pure coincidence. I ended up watching the pilot and not understanding a single thing by the end of it. Really, the entire show goes on like this. But it sure is fun trying to figure it out!

It follows the story of the residents of small town Arcadia, Missouri, both living and undead. By coincidence, government agent Martin Bellamy, who has his own secrets, is sent to return a child who will become one of the many Returned. The Returned are people who have been brought back to life, mostly family members of the residents, unaged and identical to before they were dead. The disturbing thing is that NOBODY knows why or how. Agent Bellamy and the town doctor Dr. Maggie Langston team up to investigate, but they both have things to hide and so, it seems, does everyone in town.The show trumps every single thing you guess, which makes me excited for the big reveal. It has an eerie feel to it, like The Twilight Zone, and has a fairly unique cast that includes some famous names like: Kurtwood Smith and Frances Fisher. An overall entertaining show if you like the supernatural and suspense, which I do!

Reviewed by Camille – Student Clerk Aide

 

Sleepy Hollow – Drama – Currently in season 2 – In limbo

This show is loosely based off of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving.  Ichabod Crane is an American soldier and spy for General George Washington.  During a battle, Crane encounters a Hessian soldier and cuts off his head while the Hessian soldier simultaneously mortally wounds Crane.  Their blood intermingles and two men lives are joined by a blood spell.  When the Hessian soldier, better known as the Headless Horseman, rises again, Ichabod Crane will rise too.

Ichabod Crane finds himself alive in present day Sleepy Hollow, New York.  The town is being terrorized by the Headless Horseman.  One of the victims was the Sheriff. His partner, Lieutenant Abigail Mills, witnessed his death.  But it turns out that she isn’t just a witness, she is one of the Witnesses from the Book of Revelations.  The other Witness is Ichabod Crane.  It is up to Crane and Mills to fight evil and stop the first horseman of the Apocalypse.

As the show progresses, viewers learn that the founding fathers were not only battling the British, but they were fighting against the Apocalypse.  Various historical figures appear during the show, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Paul Revere and Abigail Adams.  The show takes pieces of American history and turns them into clues against the war against evil.  For example, in one episode, Benjamin Franklin was flying his kite in a thunderstorm to destroy a mystical key.  He was not trying to do an experiment on electricity.

Sleepy Hollow is a combination of the American history, fantasy, detective story and the Book of Revelations.  It will appeal to fans of the Da Vinci code, fans of American history and fans of Washington Irving’s tale.

Reviewed by Rachel – Reference Librarian

 

True Detective – Drama – In between seasons – Season 2 airs summer 2015

Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrleson star as detectives in this HBO drama. That could be the end of this review, because honestly these two actors are phenomenal on their own and make an even better team. With HBO as its network, you can basically guarantee a hit show. For those of you that need a little more convincing…let me set the seen. The TV show is technically spent in present day, but most of the story unfolds through the story telling of Rust Cohle (McConaughey) and Martin Hart (Harrleson) about an investigation they worked together in 1995.

In 1995, Cohle and Hart are paired up to lead a complicated murder investigation. Cohle is new to unit and gives off a very creepy vibe. Even Hart is reluctant to pair up with him and is often baffled by Cohle’s unorthodox methods. As we twist and turn through the season, Cohle and Hart’s partnership blooms as they near catching the killer. Simultaneously bits and pieces of present day Cohle and Hart are uncovered as they are separately questioned about the 1995 case. In present day Hart is working as a private investigator, and Cohle is bartending on the outskirts of town after having dropped off the face of the earth for a decade. As the stories weave back and forth we inch towards the closing of the 1995 case and learn more and more about what has happened to these two detectives in the years in between. This all leads to discovering why Hart and Cohle are being questioned about a murder case that was closed 17 years ago.

Viewer discretion is advised for this series as it includes many adult elements.

-Reviewed by Bianca – Reference Librarian

 

Witches of East End  – Currently in season 2 – Cancelled by Lifetime, but there is a nation wide campaign to air a season 3.

Talk about a guilty pleasure! If you were a big fan of the TV series Charmed back in the day like I was, then you will love Witches of East End. It also centers on a powerful group of strong ‘witchy’ sisters.  The Witches of East End was originally from a novel by Melissa de la Cruz.  The story focuses on family matriarch Joanna Beauchamp (played by Julie Ormand) and her two adult daughters, Ingrid and Freya (played by Rachel Boston and Jenna Dewan Tatum). Joanna Beauchamp is a witch and knows it but her daughters are completely unaware about their magical backgrounds as they go about their lives in a secluded seaside town.  However, when Joanna’s estranged sister and the girls’ Aunt Wendy Beauchamp blows into town with secrets of her own, it’s not long before the girls find out about their unique family history and their powers.

I can’t forget to mention that all of the characters are intriguing and well-cast with very juicy story lines! I can honestly say that I finished the whole series in about 2 days! Filled with romance, zombies, ghosts, and surprise twists and turns to keep you entertained, this show has become a surprising favorite of mine. I eagerly wait for the 2nd season of this show.

-Reviewed by Shaniece – Senior Clerk

Spring Has Sprung!

It was a little touch-and-go there for awhile, but it looks like spring really will be back. That means it’s time for getting outside again and getting into the garden. In other words, it’s the best time of the year! Here are some new garden books to inspire you:

small space vegetable gardensSmall Space Vegetable Gardens by Andrea Bellamy – Here are the basics of growing a bounty of edibles in a minimal amount of space: how to find and assess a space, and how to plan and build a garden. Bellamy also highlights the top sixty edible plants and offers complete information on how to sow, grow, and harvest them.

 

 

 

 

designing and planting a woodland gardenDesigning and Planting a Woodland Garden by Keith Wiley – Woodlands are magical places and even small gardens can capture the atmosphere with a carefully chosen tree and some shade-loving plants. Selecting the right plant for the right place is essential and expert plantsman Keith Wiley explains how to combine plants that will thrive together and even how to create shade if you don’t already have it.

 

 

 

 

flower farmers yearFlower Farmer’s Year: How to Grow Cut Flowers for Pleasure and Profit by Georgie Newbery –  how to plant, maintain, and keep evolving a productive cut-flower garden. Whether you want to devote a corner of your garden to a stand of sweet peas and some cosmos, take up flower production for gate sales, or make a livelihood from cut flowers, Georgie Newbery will take you through everything from planning your garden to budgeting and marketing.

 

 

 

 

right size flower gardenRight Size Flower Garden by Kerry Ann Mendez –  We’re busy, we’re aging, and the demands of the garden can feel overwhelming. What to do? Make smarter use of the space we have and the plants we select, says garden expert Kerry Ann Mendez. She shares her successful recipe for having a garden we can manage and love again…the right-size, low maintenance, drought tolerant garden. The goal is ditching 50% of the work by choosing high-value plants and making simple design changes.

 

 

 

tao of vegetable gardeningThe Tao of Vegetable Gardening by Carol Deppe – explores the practical methods as well as the deeper essence of gardening. In her latest book Carol Deppe focuses on some of the most popular home garden vegetables – tomatoes, green beans, peas, and leafy greens – and through them illustrates the key principles and practices that gardeners need to know to successfully plant and grow just about any food crop.

March 20th is National Proposal Day!

proposal dayDid you know that March 20th is National Proposal Day? The date, March 20th, was chosen as it was said to signify the beginning of spring(it is the first day of spring!) and is also the vernal/spring equinox. If you missed the March 20th proposal day, don’t worry! There is another “National Proposal Day” on September 23rd, the autumnal equinox or the first day of fall. Both the vernal equinox and the autumnal equinox were chosen as National Proposal Days as the length of both night and day are equal, so proposing on this day is seen to put both people on a balanced scale and to symbolize their equality as they enter into marriage (I personally love the idea of linking it to the first day of a season!).

Once the proposal is over though, the fun part begins. The couple chooses venues, finds dresses and tuxes, picks flowers, and decides just who is going to be in their wedding party. If you’re lucky enough to be closely related to the engaged couple or even in the wedding party, you may find yourself on the receiving end of having to give a speech at the reception. I don’t know about you, but I simultaneously DREAD and LOVE the speech portion of wedding receptions! I can usually tell within the first couple of sentences whether that speech is going to make me laugh or cringe.

irish toasts

 

In order to help prepare said speech-giving people, I have found some toast-giving books to make designing your speech a little easier. First up let’s try something humorous like the book Irish Toasts, illustrated by Karen Bailey. *DISCLAIMER – Please make sure you know the couple REALLY WELL before decided to go a little crazy in your toast. If they’re okay with it, YOU. ARE. GOLDEN!* While some of these may be uniquely set to Ireland, note that they can also be changed to fit your specific circumstances. These are meant to give you ideas. Read these classic and witty Irish toasts and find the one that will fit your toast.

 

 

 

 

 

wedding toasts and speeches

 

Perhaps the couple is more along the traditional sense and you are as well. Maybe you’re looking for the right quotes and toasts about love to add to your speech or need some inspiration. If so, check out Wedding Toasts & Speeches: Finding the Perfect Words by Jo Packham. In this book, Packham has compiled a wide variety of quotes that can easily be slipped into any wedding toast. Whether you’re looking for something long/short, funny/romantic, or well-known/by a nobody, this book has gathered something for you. It even offers you advice on how to be a good speaker in front of a crowd. Extra Bonus.

 

If you’re still looking for inspiration to create that perfect wedding toast, head to the library and we can help you find something that will help you wish that lucky couple the very best in their new life!

Save Me by Kristyn Lewis

saveme2Save Me by Kristyn Lewis is compulsively readable. I’m trying to pin down in my own mind what it is  that makes it impossible to put down once you start reading. Maybe it’s the contrast of the confessional style and the sudden vulnerability of the main character with her previously almost perfect life. Daphne is someone who’s always been very controlled and successful at everything she did.

A high achieving doctor, with a perfect Martha Stewartesque home, garden and career, she, on the surface, doesn’t seem like someone you’d warm up to right away. After her husband and childhood sweetheart confesses that he’d had an affair, her predictable life and all her assumptions are blown apart. A car accident changes the trajectory of the story and the usual expectations of this type of novel. Family and friends are quick to give Daphne advice about whether or not she should leave her husband, and Lewis shows the complexity of any decision Daphne may make.

As a second time novelist, Lewis is very accomplished and assured. I can’t think of any passages or sentences that seemed false or clunky. Part of the appeal is the setting. You get a feeling of  Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina in a natural, unforced way.

This was marketed to book groups, and I would predict spirited discussions about the choices Daphne struggles with.

Love, of a Kind

love, of a kindLove, of a Kind is the seventh book of poetry put together by Felix Dennis. Dennis was diagnosed with throat cancer in January 2012. As a result of that diagnosis, he began bringing together and revising poems for what he believed to be his last book. The poems here run along the themes of pain, life, death, and love.

The author lived a fairly loud and extravagant life after a humble beginning. Dennis was born and lived a life of poverty in a south London suburb where he dealt with his father moving to Australia, his mother choosing not to follow, and their subsequent divorce in a time where divorces just did not happen. As a consequence of their divorce, Dennis’ mother chose to not let her previous failed marriage be a reason for her or her children to not succeed in life. Dennis’ career spanned from publisher to poet to spoken word performer to philanthropist. Never one to stray from the limelight, various interviews with Dennis can be found online.

After his diagnosis in 2012, Dennis created Love, of a Kind as a way to cope. Dennis pairs his poems with woodcut engravings that help pull readers more completely into his world. Read along and feel Dennis as he pours his feelings about love into the words that he chose to be his memory after his death in 2014.